Nicklaus Must Decide on the Course of Career

Bobby Jones conquered all he thought was necessary in the world of golf and retired from competition at the ripe old age of 28.

It isn’t that easy for Jack Nicklaus, who has conquered more worlds than any golfer in history.

“All athletes find themselves in this position,” Nicklaus said. “And it’s not much fun.”

In five months, Nicklaus will celebrate his 49th birthday. Along with that milestone must come a decision. He admits the decision must be made and as yet he is not sure what he will do.

“But I’ve got to decide,” Nicklaus said. “Basically, the decision must be whether I am going to play or I’m not going to play.”

When Nicklaus leaves the first tee at the Augusta National Golf Club each April, a huge crowd goes with him. By now, it would seem, every golf fan in the country should have a Jack Nicklaus autograph. He has signed his name countless thousands of times.

And yet men, women and children gather in flocks whenever he walks off the 18th green, anxious to add his signature to their collection. That attraction must be factored into Nicklaus’ upcoming decision.

“One of the reasons I continue to play is that I owe it to the game of golf,” he says. “But I owe it to myself to be able to play well.”

In the past few years, Nicklaus has tried to reduce his competitive schedule to the bare minimum. At times he has suggested very soon he might be looked upon as a “ceremonial” golfer. At other times, he has said he is already a ceremonial golfer.

And yet at the recent International tournament in Colorado, on a course he designed, Nicklaus came very close to being one of the 18 players who competed on the final day.

Only an errant tee shot on the 17th hole of the Castle Pines Golf Club prevented him from having a legitimate shot at winning his 72nd PGA tour event.

Such spurts of excellence tantalize Nicklaus and his fans.

“I think the main reason I keep playing is that it is fun,” he said. “Golf has always been fun for me and it still is. I know I can’t play the way Jack Nicklaus did 10 years ago. And I don’t have the time to devote to practice so that I can play at my best with some regularity. But I’m not playing so poorly that I shouldn’t be out here. I’m somewhere in the middle. And I’ve never been in the middle before.”

Two factors have caused Nicklaus to face the critical decision he must make. One has to do with his upcoming eligibility for the PGA senior tour and all the requests he will receive from sponsors around the country hoping he will play in their tournaments.

And another is his schedule for 1989, which is far larger than Nicklaus would like.

“I’ve already set my schedule for next year so that is not the question,” Nicklaus said. “It’s the year after that which I will have to decide about.

“I’m still eligible to play in the majors next year, of course, and I plan to play. I’ve designed a course in New Orleans and they are going to move the tour stop to that course next year. They wanted me to come down and play in that tournament and I told them I would. I’m looking forward to it, in fact.

“I designed a course in Australia and they are going to play the Austrian Open there and I said I would play in that.

“I look up and I’m going to play in 15 or 16 tournaments next year and that’s the opposite of what I’ve been trying to do. I’ve been trying to play in just seven or eight.”

Nicklaus has steadfastly said he would not play a full schedule on the senior tour, a decision that is the opposite of his old rival Lee Trevino.

“Lee has given up all his other commitments to get ready for the senior tour,” Nicklaus said. “And that’s great. He wants to play golf and I think that’s wonderful. He loves to play.

“I love to play, too. But I’ve got other things I’m involved in (primarily his golf course design enterprises) and I just can’t devote the time to playing and practicing. And I’m not going to play unless I can play up to a standard I expect.”

Which brings Nicklaus back to his problem. It’s one of the toughest decisions he has ever considered. It is one, as he says all athletes must face. And it is tougher than any five-foot putt he has ever tried to make.